Field of the Invention
Preferred embodiment of the present application relates to the art of a selectable one-way clutch adapted to selectively enable torque transmission only in one direction and to interrupt torque transmission in both directions.
Discussion of the Related Art
In the conventional one-way clutch, a selector plate is interposed between a pocket plate and a notch plate, and an operating mode of the one-way clutch is switched between an engagement mode and a disengagement mode by rotating the selector plate. For example, JP-A-2003-021220 and JP-A-2002-340137 individually describe a one-way clutch having a notch plate, a stator and a slide plate. According to the teachings of those prior art documents, struts are brought into engagement to notches by operating the slide plate.
In the conventional selectable one-way clutch, an engagement wall of each notch of a notch plate is individually brought into contact to a leading end of each strut held in pockets of a pocket plate by rotating the notch plate in a direction toward the leading end of the strut. Consequently, the selectable one-way clutch is brought into an engagement mode to enable torque transmission between the notch plate and the pocket plate though the struts. By contrast, the notch plate is allowed to rotate in the opposite direction, that is, in the overrunning direction without transmitting torque to the pocket plate. In this situation, however, an upper face of each strut individually pushed up by a spring is repeatedly brought into contact to an opening edge of each notch of the notch plate. In the conventional selectable one-way clutch, therefore, the struts and the notch plate may be damaged especially when the notch plate is rotated at a high speed. For example, the damage on the notch plate may be limited by reducing a number of struts. In this case, however, each backlash between the struts is individually increased and hence an impact caused by bringing the strut into engagement with the notch may be increased and hence parts of a transaxle may be damaged.